Fuel injector for rocket devices



Nov. 20, 1951 E. A. MAYNOR 2,575,824

FUEL INJEcToR FOR ROCKET DEVICES Filed Jan. 51, 1948 05352 m 63 au @EMwww@ @wf Patented Nov. 20, 17951V FUEL `INJECIOR FOR I tOCln'IjlT EugeneA.` Maynor,..Chicagc, Ill. Applicatie Jaw 31, lll-atan te? 4 Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to rocket devices and it has particularrelation to fuel injectors for such devices.A

In order to obtain a high degree of thermal efficiency in the combustionof rocket fuels there should be complete atomization and thorough mixingof the'fiuids which areburned in the combustion chamber. The more nearlythat these conditions are anproached,` the more complete will be theresulting corribustion. Conversely, where the atomization and lmixtureare not coinplete, there will `be a corresponding reduction in thethermal efficiency. This is particularly true where hydrocarbons areconcerned. f

Where hydrocarbons are burned in the presence o f oxygen, if there is apaucity of oxygen,`the hydrogen Will burn, thereby resulting in adeposit of carbon. The reason `for this is that hydrogen ignites at amuch lower temperature than does carbon.

It has been shown by tests that, if V`a small quantity of completelyatomized hydrocarbon'is ignited in the presence of theexact amount ofoxygen necessary to effect complete combustion, such combustion willresult in the hydrogen coin'- bining with the oxygen to vform water andthe carbon uniting with the oxygen to form carbon dioxide. In order toobtain this desired' result, the oxygen atoms must be in the immediatevicinity of the carbon `and hydrogen atoms and the mixture thereof mustbe accomplished under pressure. This is essential since the processofcombustion tends to disperse the atoms rather than to expedite theirmolecularization, parti--` cularly where two elements are beingoxidized.

Accordingly, among the objects of my invenl tion are: To provide theexact number of atoms of iluids which, when intermixed,supportconibustion and to hold the same in close proximity untilcomplete combustion results; to providethe L exact number of atoms ofhydrogen, carbon and oxygen infclose proximity to effect completecombustion thereof; to cause the fluids which are to be atomized andIinterrnixed for complete combustion to flow in intersectingannularcongurations so as to obtain the complete atomizationandintermixing; to direct one uid to flow radially outwardly in anannular configuration and to direct another iiuid to `flow in a conicalconfiguration which intersects theannular configuration; to cause theradially outwardly annular configuration of `fluid flow to beintersected from opposite sides by fluidflows of conical configurations,the intersection of the three duid ows taking nlaceakmg wirds; and learrange the l t egaal? retails which direct thefiuid flows in in,tfirlse'itlllg lilllblleh' in' tandem soffra there are' lWQ Qlierolleswhereas nomma a @lldftrullgllakeplai l fwel "l-@hef @micia @ifml lllvellllloll will, in part;

este w which:

Aijigure 1 is a view, partly in side earllyilll settler, illistr Si une@lll attarder@ Y,

`@replayed llelicliel'd are? 1 'l 'na Seilellelview 11922165119@ uit l,as lilesllllelzll lsplll 110er llnll ln'tjalldelfl Wllllft ilieur s3, fland il `are detail sectional :views literally, alors the? lilies @#3,all all@ f t Figur-e2? l f ,Fleur 6" is 10111 tfllal Sectional View 0fil modified nozzle cons uctionf'and F" al its de ts at'ne end a turbinewhelfl'? ytha teloatedlll a liollslelvl` granaat |15. Triiluqiisinefiffi in in er shelliilaridanouter all" i t, haying Hafvlay'er"vl `ofl carbon therebtwee i Qmlisclfisedrheinls 23 connected theretofor supplying uids which, when intermixed properly, support combustionin the chamber I4. Shutoif valves 24 and 25 may be provided in theconduits 22 and 23. They are shown in the closed position and arearranged to be opened simultaneously by a spring driven drum 26 which isrestrained by a pawl 21. When the pawl 21 is released, the drum 26rotates to open the valves 24 and 25.

It will be observed that the conduits 22 and 23 extend into fluid tanks28 and 29, respectively. The tank 28 may contain a fuel such as aniline,ammonia, gasoline, benzene, etc. The tank 29 may contain an oxidizersuch as nitric acid or picric acid. Hydrogen peroxide or liquidA oxygenalso may be used. It will be understoodthat any of the Well knownfluids, such as those specifically mentioned, may be employed inpracticing my invention.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2 of the drawing there is shown afuel injector 2| which is similar to the fuel injector 2l except thatthe nozzle shank 2Is is made up of two nozzle units 32 and 33 in tandemin place of a single nozzle unit as shown in Figure 1. inafter more thantwo of the nozzle units 32 and 33 canbe added in tandem as desireddepending upon the power requirements. Since the nozzle units 32 and 33are, for the most part, identical in construction, the same referencecharacters will be used for both.

EachV of the nozzle units 32 and 33 is constructed so as to provide ailuid or fuel flow having a radial annular Aconfiguration or disclikedischarge 34 that is arranged to be intersected by two fluid or oxidizerflows of conical configurations or cone-like discharges 35, thearrangement being that the conical configurations 35 intersect theannular configuration 34 at 36. Since the configurations 34 and 35intersect in the manner described at 36, in reality, the intersectionthereof is a circle and it is around this circle that the carefullymetered and proportioned quantities of fluids, i. e. fuel and oxidizer,meet, are atomized, and completely intermixed so that completecombustion thereof can take place as mentioned hereinbefore. It will beunderstood that the fluids from the tanks 28 and 29 flow in theconfigurations 34 and 35 under pressure. For example a pressure may bemaintained in the tanks 2B and 29 on the order of 600 pounds per squareinch.

' The parts making up the fuel injector 2|' are formed preferably ofstainless steel.l They will be described now in detail.

It will be noted that a body member 40 is provided having threads 4lwhich permit it to be screwed into the housing I5. The body Vmember 40also has a threaded passageway 42 for connection to the fluid inletconduit 23. In this case the fluid oxidizer flows through the passageway42 and also through longitudinally extending apertures 43 in the bodymember 40 to an annular distribution chamber 44.

The body member 40 also has a central longitudinal opening 45 in .whicha stem 46 is positioned. The stem 46 has an axial passageway 41 throughwhich the Vfluid fuel ows from theconduit 22. Y The stem 46 is threadedat 48 to permit connection'of the conduit 22. A nut 49 also is providedon thethreads 46 for holding the'stem 4'I'in position with respect tothebody member 4U. At its right hand end the stem 46 has a conical 'flange52 which'serv'ejs, in "part, to enclose the ilistribution' chamber '44.The `flange 52 has As will appear here- 4 transverse apertures y53 forplacing an annular groove 54 in a fitting 55 in communication with thechamber 44. It will be noted that the tting 55 has an axial passageway56 which, in effect, constitutes an extension of the axial passageway 47in the stem 46.

Surrounding the fitting 55 is a pair of nozzle ringsl 5l which, as shownmore clearly in Figure 4, have spacing portions 58 to provide a radialnozzle opening 59 the width of which is xed. In accordance with thepresent invention the radial nozzle opening 55 has a width of 0.002inch. Except for the spacing portions 58, which constitute only a smallportion of the circumferential length of the nozzle opening 59, itconstitutes a radially opening passageway for directing the uid fuel toflow radially outwardly in the annular configuration previouslydescribed and indicated at 34. It will be observed that radial apertures41' serve to place the inside of the radial nozzle opening 59 incommunication with the axial passageway 4l. Similar radial apertures 4lserve to place the radial .nozzle/ are oppositely inclined, as shown, toprovide the conical configurations 35 of fluid or oxidizer flowpreviously described.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawing, the fluid reaches theconical nozzle opening 6I between the ring 5l and the ring 62 through adistribution chamber 63 which communicates through apertures 64 with theannular groove 54 near the forward end of the fitting 55. Longitudinallyextending apertures 55, Figure 4, extend between the grooves 54 in thefitting 55 to place the same in communication.

It will be observed that the outer end of the axial passageway 56 in thefitting 55 of the nozzle unit 33 is closed by a plug 66 and that a cap67 is threaded over the projecting threaded portion of the fitting 55.If it is desired to add other nozzle units, the cap 6'! can be removedand the plug 66 unscrewed. Thereafter additional nozzle units can beadded, as desired, with the plug 66 being positioned in the outermostunit and the cap 6l applied as will be understood readily.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent now that the oxidizerfluid flow through the passageway 42 inthe body member 40 and throughthe apertures 43 to the distribution chamber 44. From this chamber 44 9,portion of the fluid flows through the associated conical nozzle,opening 6l. The remaining portion of the uid flows through theapertures 53 in the conical flange 52 to the annular groove 54 in thefitting 55 and thence through apertures 65 to the annular groove 54 inthe forward end of the tting 55. A portion of this fluid flows throughthe radial aperture 64 into the distribution chamber 63, which isannular in form, and thence out through the associated conical nozzleopening 5I.

The fluid fuel flows through the axial passageway 41 and radialapertures --41' to the radial the'formof a cone-like dischargeirlhichfinter# combination of a supporting member, a nozzle sectssaiddisc-like discharge.v Y shank of substantiallycylindricalform extend-3.V In a fuel injector forinjecting two fluids into ing therefrom, twoAseparate fluid passagewaysl the combustionV chamberof arrocket devicet0 extending through said nozzle shank for feedatomize and intermixrthesame, the combination 5 ing two separate fluids adapted. t0 be inter..

of a supporting member, a Substantially Ycylinmixed, a radial nozzleopening of substantially.

dricaln0ZZle Shank SupDOrted Vthereby OI'k 2X-f continuous circular formencircling `said nozzle tending into -s-aidcombustion chamber, saidshank and connect-,ed with one of Said fluid pas-,

nozzle SharlkCOmpISngStemmeans; av rSt fluidi sageways to project one ofsaid iluids in the form Y passageway extending Substantially axially 0fio` of a disc-like discharge, and a conical nozzie said stem means forfeeding one of 'saidiuid a-second fluid passageway extending longitudnally of said stem means in space'drelationfto said rst fluid passagewayfor feeding hthje otlf'ier-f` of said nuids, and a Series of nozzleand'spacingv 1,5; rings assembled over said stemV meansV a`i1ddev ningtherebetween a plurality of nozzlefsets ar-5 ranged in tandem relationalong saidj. nozzleA shank, each of said nozzlesetscomprisingasubstantially radialnozzle opening of substantially 20continuous circular form encircling said{nozzleI shank and connectedWith one of said' fluidepas'" I fil f this ,patenti sageways to projectone of said fluids inthe-formi" z f sil-M of a Vdisc-like discharge,and-a conicailf no'zzicfj, i #UNNTTED STATES PATENTS opening -of Asubstantially continuous circular? 25V1\,T1f1ir'1ber c j Nameform'encircling said nozzle shank and connected' y "1-"051-61721 fwiththe other of-said iluid passagewaysto pro-Lin ject the other ofsaid'fluids in the form i .4 cone-like discharge which intersectssaid.disc=like`.fj 1,189,593, discharge. v f3() '21,885,219V

' 4. VIn a fuel injector of the class/described, fthe 2',31'5,5,47 i1opening of? substan'tially` continuous circular orm encircling said'nozzle shank and connected ichV intersects said disc-like discharge at aintspacedj apart from the-perimeter of said k Y ,i 1

EUGENE A. MAYNOR.

Y vREFERENCES CITED ith oneofvsaid uid passageways to Aproject oneV fsaid fluids in the form of a cone-like dischargel vxlhe3followingreferences are of record in the

